GuiYing Ma, a 61-year-old Asian grandmother, dies months after brutal attack

Last year, 61-year-old GuiYing Ma was brutally attacked in Queens, NYC. The attacker struck her in the head with a rock. As she lay unconscious on the sidewalk, he hit her again. After a long fight to recover, her family now reports that she has passed.

Earlier this year, Mrs. Gao’s husband said, “We’ve known each other since childhood. We married at 22. Our relationship has been very great throughout the years. So it would mean a lot to have her back at home.”

The attacker, 33-year-old Elisaul Perez who admits to hitting her in the head with a rock, faces three felony charges. A spokesperson for the DA’s office said they would “add or upgrade any appropriate charges supported by the evidence.”

Mrs. Ma’s official GoFundMe states:

The family of GuiYing Ma is heartbroken to announce that 62-year-old Queens resident GuiYing Ma died at 9:29 p.m. on February 22, 2022 as a result of “Complications of Blunt Impact Injury of Head.” Mrs. Ma was sweeping the sidewalk when she was violently attacked with a rock in the morning of Friday, November 26, 2021 by a man who was sleeping on the sidewalk. The defendant who was arrested and indicted in this attack had multiple prior arrests, a long criminal record, and was known to be a menace to the community. 

The attack permanently damaged the right side of Mrs. Ma’s brain. But the love between Mrs. Ma and her husband Mr. Zhanxin Gao remained. Despite being connected to a ventilator and a feeding tube, Mrs. Ma responded to Mr. Gao by moving her eyes and tearing up when Mr. Gao would speak to her at the hospital. In early February 2022 and just over 10 weeks after the attack, Mrs. Ma awoke from her coma, and was able to raise her hand in response to Mr. Gao even though she could not speak still. 

Mrs. Ma came to New York four years ago from Liaoning, China. She will be remembered as an outgoing, friendly and kind individual who took care of everyone, and insisted on giving to others even when she had very little to give. She is survived by her husband, a son and two grandchildren. Services for Mrs. Ma will be announced after her son is able to arrange travel to New York City.